Basic Rights Oregon

While Rome Burns is honored to be celebrating Basic Rights Oregon this month at Mississippi Pizza Pub, June 22. Please join us for a slice, some great music, and a chance to get to know Basic Rights Oregon and the important work they are doing on behalf of our LGBTQ community.

About Basic Rights Oregon

Our Mission

Basic Rights Oregon will ensure that all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Oregonians experience equality by building a broad and inclusive politically powerful movement, shifting public opinion, and achieving policy victories.

Our Vision

To ensure that all LGBTQ Oregonians live free from discrimination and be treated with dignity and respect in every community in our state.

Our Approach

Basic Rights Oregon works fearlessly and tirelessly to build a strong, vibrant, powerful, and progressive movement for LGBTQ equality. LGBTQ Oregonians exist in every community, and we understand that we have to engage in strategic, values-based coalitions to address the many needs of our communities. As such, building alliances with progressive groups that advocate for working families, racial justice, immigrant rights, reproductive justice, and campaign reform will be essential to winning policies that meet the varied needs of our diverse community.

Our Priority Communities

We recognize that within our LGBTQ communities, many of us experience both privilege and oppression on a daily basis. We know that despite leading the nation in statewide legal protections, LGBTQ Oregonians are far from full legal equality. Our vision is to be a leader in political and policy work that centers the needs of four critically important communities:

LGBTQ people of color, including LGBTQ immigrants & refugees of color, who bear the brunt of homophobia, transphobia, racism, and xenophobia.

Trans, genderqueer and gender nonconforming people, who face astonishing rates of violence and discrimination, and whose basic rights are far from secure.

LGBTQ youth, who face high rates of homelessness, bullying and suicide, and who are present and future leaders for LGBTQ equality and social justice.

LGBTQ people beyond the Portland Metro area, who are often isolated, whose needs are distinct from those in Portland, and who face unique barriers to reach the promise of true lived equality.